News - Page 2 - College of Arts & Letters

Collage of animals, plants, and stars surrounds text: "Michigan State University Science Festival, April 1-30, 2026," against a starry night sky background.

College of Arts & Letters Faculty and Students Present Interactive Events at 2026 MSU Science Festival

April 8, 2026

The 2026 Michigan State University Science Festival, celebrating and exploring science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, takes place throughout the month of April, offering free events for all to enjoy. Two of those events will be presented by MSU College of Arts & Letters faculty: MI Diaries: Tell Your Story for Linguistics Analysis – April 11, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., STEM…

A woman in a vibrant purple dress stands against a lavender background. She wears matching earrings, and her expression is confident and serene.

Suban Nur Cooley Named Lansing’s Next Poet Laureate

April 2, 2026

Suban Nur Cooley, Assistant Professor in the Department of African American and African Studies (AAAS) at Michigan State University, has been named Lansing’s next Poet Laureate and will serve the greater Lansing region for the 2026-2028 term. She also is an MSU alum having earned her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Writing from MSU’s Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures.

Three people in historical costumes stand in a corridor with arched windows. The mood is formal and posed, with warm lighting highlighting their attire.

Theatre

Slow-Burn Romance and Drama: ‘Jane Austen’s Persuasion’ Comes to MSU

March 31, 2026

If you love slow-burn romances, second chances, and just the right amount of yearning, Jane Austen’s Persuasion is sure to draw you in. From left to right: Karen Law, playing Anne Elliot; Ben Larson, playing Young Frederick; and Arielle Olkhovsky, playing Young Anne, in the MSU Department of Theatre production of Persuasion. (Photo by Nicole Merchant) MSU’s Department of Theatre…

Two silver mannequins display wearable art at the Transgender Day of Visibility Art Showcase. The mannequin on the left wears a flowing cape made of overlapping silver guitar picks or metallic discs. The mannequin on the right wears a colorful pixel-patterned outfit adorned with small charms and fringe details. Artwork and photos are visible on display panels in the background.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion / Exhibition / News / Student

Art, Identity, and Community Shine at MSU’s Transgender Day of Visibility Showcase

March 31, 2026

Snyder-Phillips Hall was filled with art, music, and conversations for the second annual Transgender Day of Visibility Art Showcase on March 21. The event, which spanned from 1 to 6 p.m., included a community arts showcase, keynote speaker, art workshop with guest artists, awards, and more. The event celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), an internationally recognized holiday that was…

Two people stand smiling against a warm wooden background. The person on the left wears a dark jacket with a name tag, while the person on the right wears glasses and a brown shawl.

Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / News / Research

MSU Professor and Alum Earn International Outstanding Publication Award for Second Language Acquisition Research

March 30, 2026

A research article co-authored by a Michigan State University College of Arts & Letters faculty member and an alum has received the 2025 Albert Valdman Award for Outstanding Publication in Studies in Second Language Acquisition, which recognizes the top article published in the international journal each year.The award-winning article, titled Testing the three-stage model of second language skill acquisition, was…

Young person with straight black hair, smiling warmly in a dark blazer and shirt, with a Spartan helmet pin on lapel. Background is blurred wood paneling, conveying a professional tone.

Student / WRAC / XA

Alex Guo Named MSU’s Sole Student Recipient of 2026 Inclusive Excellence Award

March 27, 2026

Alex Guo, a fourth-year student at Michigan State University with a dual major in Humanities-Prelaw and Experience Architecture and double minors in Business and Leadership in Integrated Learning, is the sole student recipient of the 2026 Inclusive Excellence Award presented by MSU’s Office for Inclusive Excellence and Impact. The award recognizes her exceptional and innovative contributions in advancing inclusive excellence…

Two men exchange a staff in a cultural ceremony. One wears a suit and white headscarf, the other dons traditional attire with feathered headdress.

Faculty / Faculty / Faculty Stories / Grant / News / WRAC

Marohang Limbu Awarded HARP Large-Scale Funding to Advance Global Understanding of Himalayan Indigenous Rhetorics

March 26, 2026

Marohang Yakthung Limbu, Professor in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures at Michigan State University, has been awarded Humanities and Arts Research Program (HARP) large-scale development funding for his project "Documenting Matrilineal Civilizations and Ancient Himalayan Yakthung Histories: A Study Through Mundhums and Film." HARP is one of MSU’s largest internal grants, providing funding to support faculty conducting important research projects or activities in the arts and humanities.

A film promotional graphic for "When We Get There." The top half features a cinematic sunset over a landscape with the film title in large yellow block letters. It shows the main cast members—Alek Kristopher, Chris Heeder, Alfred Molina, and Jamie Lien—interacting in character. The bottom half is a grid of four character portraits showing Chris Heeder, Jamie Lien, Alek Kristopher, and Ryan Patrick Welsh.

News / Theatre

How an MSU Theatre Professor Turned an Abandoned Film Project into a Feature Film Streamed Worldwide

March 25, 2026

As the world cautiously emerged from pandemic lockdowns in spring 2021, Ryan Welsh, Associate Professor of Theatre at Michigan State University, was ready to direct his first feature film. He had assembled a crew and secured time to shoot when the project unexpectedly fell through. But rather than completely abandoning the opportunity, he made a bold decision to write, cast, and produce an entirely new film in a matter of a few weeks.

2026 Undergrad Exhibition poster with bold purple text on a white background. Colorful abstract art surrounds the text. Juried by Ekaterina Popova. Held at (SCENE) Metrospace from March 26 to April 24, with a reception on April 10, 5-7pm.

AAHD / Art, Art History, and Design / Arts MSU / Exhibition / News / Student / Student

MSU’s 2026 Undergraduate Art Exhibit on Display at (SCENE) Metrospace March 26-April 24

March 24, 2026

The 2026 Department of Art, Art History, and Design Undergraduate Exhibition at Michigan State University features the work on 64 students created in Department of Art, Art History, and Design courses during the past year. This juried exhibition runs March 26 through April 24 at (SCENE) Metrospace, 110 Charles Street, East Lansing, Michigan. Gallery hours are noon-5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.

Michigan Impact / News / Programs

MSU Fellowship Empowers Michigan Teachers to Reimagine Genocide Curriculum for Today’s Learners

March 23, 2026

At a time when students are encountering discussions of genocide not only in history books but as it unfolds in real time across social media and global news, a program offered through Michigan State University’s College of Arts & Letters is helping secondary education teachers across Michigan respond to the growing challenge of teaching about this fraught topic in a…